Trump Nominates Serco Executive David Cummins as TSA Administrator

President Trump intends to nominate David Cummins to lead the Transportation Security Administration, according to a person familiar with the decision reported by CBS News. Cummins currently serves as senior vice president of citizen services at Serco, a government services contractor.

He has held multiple leadership roles in transportation and operations, including as a director for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Ha Nguyen McNeill, the TSA's acting administrator, will assist with the leadership transition, the source said. The nomination has not yet been formally announced. Cummins will face a Senate confirmation process amid the longest partial government shutdown in history.

U.S. airports and other transportation hubs. S. travel volumes surge, CBS News reported. In recent congressional testimony, McNeill warned that prolonged funding lapses have strained the agency's workforce and operations.

McNeill also warned of long checkpoint wait times at some airports. She said the agency is struggling to hire and retain officers during budget uncertainty. The TSA is preparing for major global events including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

More than 780 TSA officers have resigned during the ongoing DHS shutdown. The previous shutdown in 2025 drove nearly 1,100 officers to leave the agency. The TSA workforce numbers just under 50,000. David Pekoske was the last Senate-confirmed TSA administrator.

Pekoske was confirmed to a second five-year term in 2022. McNeill has served as acting administrator and previously held senior roles at TSA and across the national security community.

“Prolonged funding lapses have strained the agency's workforce and operations, with rising absenteeism, attrition and long checkpoint wait times at some airports.”

“The agency is struggling to hire and retain officers during budget uncertainty, even as it prepares for major global events including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”